What QB should start vs. TCU?

[stang_fan]

Is Chris going to be the starter against them because he played so well against them last year? Or should we catch them by surprised and try to pass all day on them with Tony? I feel like we will have a chance at a win either way, but I'm not sure who should start? I guess if I had to choose I'd go with Chris because I know what he can do. I haven't seen enough of Eckert yet. Also, do we try to start Cedrick Dorsey? Or was that fumble by Foy not enough to lose him the starting job?

[Stallion]

how about Allen Adami-don't think he had a sack-you think we ought to start him?

[Sam I Am]

Go with Eckert after what's his name has failed to score in the first half.

[rich_alum]

Is this even up for debate? I think Eckert is great.....matter of fact everyone was telling me I was crazy for saying he should be the #2 QB.

However, I thought Phillips played really well. He was getting 5 and 6 yards on those keepers and he broke a few longer runs as well. He still gives up our best chance to win.......in case no has noticed he doesn't exactly have big targets to throw to. All our receivers are short.

[StangEsq]

Is this even up for debate? I think Eckert is great.....matter of fact everyone was telling me I was crazy for saying he should be the #2 QB.

However, I thought Phillips played really well. He was getting 5 and 6 yards on those keepers and he broke a few longer runs as well. He still gives up our best chance to win.......in case no has noticed he doesn't exactly have big targets to throw to. All our receivers are short.

Our receiversmay be short, but it seemed like Warren and Lowery were open by 15 yards on several plays... I really like the two little guys. Hey, it worked for the Broncos and Dolphins in the 80s...

[PerunaPunch]

Not true. We have some decent-sized receivers. In fact, you might be able to make a good case that one reason Eckert was so successful is that he threw repeatedly (I think 5 attempts) at Pellerin (6'3), and his big gainer went to Lowery who is 5'11.

Phillips likes throwing to Rushbrook who is listed at 5'10 (and didn't make any grabs), and Blake Warren who had several nice grabs but is only 5'7.

[giacfsp]

Is Chris going to be the starter against them because he played so well against them last year? Or should we catch them by surprised and try to pass all day on them with Tony? I feel like we will have a chance at a win either way, but I'm not sure who should start? I guess if I had to choose I'd go with Chris because I know what he can do. I haven't seen enough of Eckert yet. Also, do we try to start Cedrick Dorsey? Or was that fumble by Foy not enough to lose him the starting job?

You're kidding, right? We didn't run the ball a lot, but Munlin ran very hard, and pretty well overall. That fumble is a part of the game - the Tech guy made a great play, just burying his helmet into the ball and popping it straight up. NFL backs would have coughed that up. Stallion's right with his Adami analogy - some folks don't make enough good plays because the other team has good players, too. Phillips will (and should) be the QB, Munlin is the RB and I'm pretty sure our man Adami will get on the field, too.

I also agree with Peruna Punch: Pellerin and Chase should be more involved as targets. And I liked Cleveland last year - did we throw a ball his way Saturday? We have some receivers with skills. Lowery looks like he's going to be a stud - he runs great routes and seems to catch everything near him. Warren is a stud, too (man, I wish he was a little bigger). And Rushbrook can be a good possession WR, but that fade route down the sideline when he was being shadowed by a taller, faster CB .... not exactly how Coach Burns drew it up, I assume.

[PerunaPunch]

I would also be very interested to know what Coach Burns thought about Phillips' read progressions. Obviously the QB keeper was very effective and certainly many of those were designed plays, but I bet in several cases, Phillips went through his reads and took off running when his receivers were covered.

[RGV Pony]

Lost in all this is the fact that Munlin carried 9 times for almost 5 yards per. Give him 18-20 carries a game & keep the other 'o' off the field. It's doable, even with this offense.

[giacfsp]

Good point.

We all know about the yards and points Northwestern was able to muster against TCU in the opener, and how they have some new faces (albeit talented new faces) on defense, especially the line.
Question: was NW able to run the ball, or was all of their offense through the air?

[The PonyGrad]

I would also be very interested to know what Coach Burns thought about Phillips' read progressions. Obviously the QB keeper was very effective and certainly many of those were designed plays, but I bet in several cases, Phillips went through his reads and took off running when his receivers were covered.

Phillip's biggest issue is completing the passes he chooses to throw. He did great with his carries. One of the questions is why did he do so well to start the game (and to some extent the second half) but then went through long droughts. Was that a concentration issue or something else?

[rich_alum]

This is so Monday Morning Quarterback. There is no doubt that Phillips has earned this job and gives us our best chance to win. He is one of our best players. Yes, Eckert came in when we were DOWN BY 20 and put together a nice drive for a score, but Phillips kept us in the game for 2 1/2 quarters and only turned the ball over once.

I am not knocking our receivers, but their lack of height does limit their big catch ability.

What happened to Romo....most of you were all over him just last week but after 1 drive you are ready to switch QB's to someone else that you didn't even believe to be the No. 2 QB. This is comical.

[king_k]

Did some of yall not see the sorry third and short conversion attempts. We couldn't run on third and short and when it was third and long Tech blitzed the hell out of us. Phillips was running for his life on 3rd down half of the time. I remember one time when a Tech defensive lineman was hanging on him and he was able to throw the ball away. We need to get both qb's in against TCU.

Phillips single handedly ran the ball down the field in the first half. We couldn't punch it in for touchdowns, but I was impressed with the way the offense was moving at some points. We were playing against TxTech a Big XII school and we moved the ball. I think if we play half as good as we did Saturday against San Jose St. and UTEP we will be able to put points on the scoreboard.

If Phillips can become a polished passer to go along with his running ability we will be much more successful than playing Eckert or Romo with their limited natural talent. Right now a two qb system might be the way to go.

[ponyte]

I sit here with mouth wide open and gasping for air. I do not believe what I am reading here. We have had nothing but QB problems for years. All of a sudden we have two QBs that DIDN’T make MISTASKES and DID move the ball. For once we have a luxury at that position of two (and possibly three) capable QBs. There is not a QB decision to make. Does one bench Phillips because he didn't make a mistake (think back as far as last year and how QB mistakes killed us)? Do we start a new QB because he moved the ball well against Tech's second team?

Kids will have a huge (and justified) attitude that mistakes are guaranteed benching. We need kids to have faith that mistakes can and will happen and that playing will not be ceased due to mistakes. We play Phillips. It is time to have faith in the QB position and allow players to develop there. Jerking QBs around at this point would be inviting offensive disaster.

[PonySnob]

I look for the offense to improve under both Eckert and Phillips. While there have been several scrimmages, this was the first real game for the new offense. Hopefully this week, Chris can get the ball downfield a little bit more - even if it is the 3-5 yard passes. I thought too many of his passes last Saturday were thrown at the line of scrimmage or to a back who had run towards the sideline.